The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Plateau State says its Gubernatorial candidate, Jeremiah Useni has never contemplated withdrawing his campaign funding ahead of next weekend's rerun elections in the State.

Prof. Dimis Mai-Lafia in a press statement on Friday said reports alleging that the Gubernatorial candidate had complained of having been betrayed by people he gave funds to during the electioneering campaigns are "just mischief".

The statement also dispels rumours of the ex Military General signing a pack to hire Mr. Yakubu Jang, son of the Ex State Governor, Jonah Jang as his Chief of Staff.

The statement reads in full:

It has become compelling to respond to certain insinuations that have been released as loose canons on the person and campaign of the Plateau PDP Gubernatorial Candidate, Distinguished Senator Jeremiah Timbut Useni.

The first is that a small quote attributed to him:

“I will not remove 10kobo for any supplementary election. People lied to me and betrayed me. If they think I will win, let them vote me on their own. I am tired.”- JT Useini. Monday, 11th March, 2019.

That same day, we showed the quote to the Candidate, Senator Useni. After reading it he was quite amused at what was being attributed to him.

And his response was,

"I have read this text. It was even read to me. It doesn't make sense. Or does it make sense to you? I have not complained to anybody. Why should I? It is my duty to lead the people of Plateau. I am resolved to do it. I am not complaining."

This was placed in the public domain the same day.

But those who choose to excite themselves by themselves have continued to amplify the earlier quote – as if a child has just been given his first Christmas clothes!

There is nothing to go to the market with on this. We cannot flog, and even over-flog a non-issue. "If the PDP in Plateau decides to go in for the re-run, there will be funding," says J.T. Useni.

“JT", as we fondly call him, will, by the grace of the almighty God, provide the funding – as he has done with many projects in the past since he came into the PDP family.

As far as we know, the Distinguished Senator has not harboured any frustration on this matter, not to talk of sharing it with anyone.

Instead, our Governor in-waiting has been deeply appreciative of the massive support he has been receiving from the people of Plateau all through his campaigns and right through the elections. They have voted massively for him to be their governor.

They have unanimously voted out the APC right from the local government elections of October 2018 to the presidential/National Assembly right to the governorship/House of Assembly elections of 2019. Their message has been persistent and consistent: Enough of APC!

So Plateau people know what they want. And they know that they have won all their elections so far by voting out the APC.

It should therefore be apparent that if there is to be any frustration at all, it is that any democratic channel that Plateau people have followed to free themselves from the choking shackles of APC misrule in the state has been met by desperate looting of votes, engagement of the military to intimidate voters and the bare-faced deception of the APC government.

Distinguished Senator JT Useni, is glad to receive the support of the people of Plateau along the path of our democratic experience. And he is determined to do even much more to Restore Plateau.

The second perversity we need to respond to is a poster with a massage suggesting a *“JT Useni & Jang Agreement: Make Yakubu Jang Chief of Staff."*

Such roguery!

Well, let’s put it as plainly as we can: There is no such agreement. As far as we know, ever since Senator Useni started the race to the Government House in Rayfield, he has not made any promise to anyone to place the person in any governmental position.

His disposition has always been that he will draw from the pool of the best that Plateau offers of human resources.

JT Useni will give a level-playing ground for the youth, women and the physically challenged to make it into his team.

There will be no favouritism or discrimination.

The naughtiness of those trying To distract the Candidate and sow seeds of suspicion and disunity must therefore fall flat on its face.

The two items attributed to our Candidate are obviously the work of mischief makers who want to draw the state backward. But too late.

The *Restoration* Agenda of Distinguished Senator Useni is firmly on ground. It will give confidence to Plateau people. It will build Plateau. It will secure Plateau.